[Birman Babe]

Melody the Birman is around 9 years old & a HUGE hunter.
She has lived on 200 acres in NZ & has been allowed to roam this acreage, along with the neighbours property, ever since she was a kitten. She catches most things that move :-(
Now her owners are moving to rural Q'ld and are worried she might get eaten/poisoned by a snake.
I believe pythons habitat the area they are moving to.
They are not sure whether they would be able to contain her once they get there, at 9 years old cats are pretty set in their ways, so what do other people think ???? Anyone from rural Oz have any thoughts on snakes....are they really such a threat ??? They cant bare the thought of leaving her behind here in NZ .
Thanks in advance .....

This post has been edited by Birman Babe: 31 October 2009 - 01:54 PM

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[♥Brooke♥]

They are a huge threat...A lot of the ones in Australia are really dangerous and if I was the owner of Melody I wouldn't be letting her roam at all. If she was to attack one I don't think she would last long at all:(
Could they possibly look into building her an enclosure and snake proofing it?

[jemkatz]

pythons wont cause to much harm as they are non venomus but will strangle them if they quiet large python,they need to build a enclosure to keep her safe from predators

[aboutTaya]

Pythons can eat cats. My parents had to have one large python removed from their back garden and the snake handler came pronto making it clear that it would be capable of eating either of their cats or their small kelpie. They can eat large possums and small wallabies. Check out you tube for some actual video footage of pythons eating them (ugh) and the size of things they can eat. This of course is ignoring the venomous snakes...

[Heather Sharada]

New Zealand does not have poisonous snakes and there are few in Australia that are NOT poisonous and while Pythons are known to devour small pets - it is the venomous ones that i would be concerned about........so yes it is a BIG risk.

In Australia it is quite acceptable to the majority of Cat Owners to build enclosures....they can make her a nice one that abutts to a window on the house so she can come and go as she pleases and there are many many cats that have become indoor - secure enclosure cats from being free roaming. They just need to make her indoor life interesting...big cat scratch post, nice toys and lots of one on one time.....usually the perks outweigh the disadvantages - in a cars mind.

Might also teach her - yes even at 9 years old - to walk on a harness.

One of the reasons that Michaela went to retire in New Zealand was that she could indulge in her hunting passion in relative safety.

Lots on the web if you google for it - http://www.vet.ohio-state.edu/3099.htm